Beehive.



S. BLAGG. BBBHIVE. APPLICATION IILED 920.1 1910.

9187,4259 Patented Mar.21,1911,

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ENE

SAMUEL BLAGG, OF ERIE, ILLINOIS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

BEEHIVE.

Patented Mar. 21, 1911.

Application filed December 16, 1910. Serial No. 597,598.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL BLAGG, a c tizen of the United States, and a resident of Erie, in the county of VVhiteside and State of Illinois, have invented certain Improvements in Beehives, of which the fol lowing is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide improved means for controlling access of bees to the supers of the hive, so that the supers may be removed with entire safety.

In carrying out the invention, the board separating the brood chamber from the supers is provided with a supplemental beepassage, which may be instantly opened or closed by means of a device operated exteriorly to the hive. The other bee-passage with which such separating board is provided is also furnished with means for allowing escape of bees or for completely closing the same as conditions require.

The invention is hereinafter described, and is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure l is in part a side elevation and in part a section of the upper portion of a beehive provided with my improvement. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the so-called beeescape board which separates the broodchamber from the supers, the same being provided with my attachment arranged in a certain position. Fig. 3 is a plan view of a portion of such board showing a different adjustment of the device for closing the supplemental bee-passage. Fig. 4B is a perspective view of a bee-escape which I utilize in connection with the bee-escape board. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a plug which is similarly employed.

In Fig. 1, the numeral 1 indicates the body of the hive, and 2 the upper detachable portion of the same in which the supers are contained. 3 is the so-called beeescapeboard, which separates the brood chamber from the supers and on which the supers ordinarily rest. At the rear end of the hive, this bee-escape board is provided with a slot l which serves as a bee-passage, and at a point near the front end the board is provided with a transverse slot 5 constituting a" supplemental bee passage. As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, a device 6 is arranged for opening or closing; the said passage 5. The same consists of a rod which is journaled in keepers at 7 that are arranged in alinement with the slot, and the portion of the rod intervening such keepers is cranked or bent laterally, as indicated at 6 The rod projects through the side of the hive and is provided exteriorly with a crank 63*, or other means, for conveniently rotating it. When the crank is in the position shown in Fig. 2, the laterally bent body portion 6 lies at one side of the slot 5 and consequently the bee-passage is entirely open; but when the rod is rotated so that the crank 6 lies in the position indicated in Fig. 3, the bent body portion 6 extends across the bee-passage 5, and consequently it is closed to a degree suflicientto prevent bees passing up or down, while permitting a certain degree of ventilation.

Fig. 4 illustrates a device 8 which, in view of its function, is termed a bee-escape. It is constructed of sheet metal and provided with an opening 9 in its upper side, and underneath with a chamber 10 through which the bees may pass from the opening 9 to the open end 11, but are .prevented from passing back through the same by means of the peculiar arrangement of interior devices at 12. It will be understood that, normally, the slot 4 in the beeescape-board 3 is open, so as to permit the free passage of bees up and down, and that the device 6 is at the same time in the open position shown in Fig. 9.. When, however, it is desired to remove one or more filled supers, the device 6 is rotated to the position indicated in Fig. 3, so as to obstruct the passage .5, while the bee-escape 8 is inserted in the slot 4 of the bee-escape-board, as shown in Fig. 1. This is done preferably .just before nightfall. The result is that the bees pass downward from the supers through the bee-escape 8 into the brood-chamber, and in the morning it will be found that the supers are entirely free of bees. Then the operator removes the bee-escape 8 and inserts in place thereof a T-shaped plug 13see Figs 2 and 5. The supers may then be removed without difficulty, or danger from the bees, and, empty ones being substituted, the plug 13 is then removed and the cranked device 6 rotated to the position shown in Fig. 2, so as to open again the bee-passage 5,whereupon the bees resume Work in filling the supers as before. Thus, by my simple invention, I not only provide a supplemental bee-passage through the bee-escape-board, but an easily adjusted device for closing it when required to remove the supers, so that this operation may be performed Without danger.

What I claim is 1. The improvement in beehives, consisting of a bee-escape board provided at one end with a slot serving normally as a bee passage, a removable closing plug adapted for insertion in such slot from the outside of the hive a supplemental bee passage formed in the beeescape board near the front end of the same, and a device controllable from the exterior of the hive for opening or closing said bee passage, as shown and described.

2. The improven'ient in beehives, consisting of a bee escape-board provided at one end with a slot serving normally as a beepassage, a removable closing plug adapted for insertion in such slot from the outside of the hive, a supplemental bee-passage formed in the bee escape-board near the front end of the same, and a cranked rod journaled in alinement With the'said passage and projecting at the side of the board, whereby it is adapted for adjustment to open or close the slot, substantially as described.

SAMUEL BLAGG. lVitnesses WlLLIAM RUsH, JOHN B. HAHN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner cf Patents, Washington, D. G. 

